Brooder control



Patented July 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,088,160 imoo iaa CONTROL necticut Application April 6, 1935, Serial No. 15,015

2 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to electrically heated brooders for "chickens,-etc.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple but reliable construction for controlling the temperature automatically.

A special object is to provide an automatic control of such a form that it may be manufactured as a single unit and ready to be installed in a heater construction. This construction embodies a quick-make and quick-break switch together with an expansible type of thermostatic device for actuating the switch and provided with means for adjusting the switch. The form of device shown and described is especially useful in connection with a construction of the character set' forth in my former application Serial Number 753,093.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a brooder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional 'view of the heater unit.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the control unit.

Fig. 4 is'a sectional .view of the control unit taken on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The heater device 1' for the brooder is suitably constructed and adapted to be'mou'nted upon any support such for instance as the ground 8. The housing is made up of side boards '9 and a top I0 which may behinged at I to the heater 30 housing. The cover maybe adjusted to different angles and supported by means of a rod l2 inserted in any one of the holes l3. The outer end or entrance and exit is partially closed by a drop curtain |4.-

35 The air in the heater unit is heated by passage of electric current through the resistance wire l5. A lamp l6 which is also in the circuit of the heater serves to illuminate the interior and also assists in heating the air.

40 The heater housing is formed preferably of sheet metal with an outer plate l1 and an inner plate l8. These plates are spaced apart by partitions IS. The housing is provided with in-' let louvers for the cold air and outlet louvers 45 22. The end chambers of the housing are provided with louvers 22 and 23. Cold air is admitted to the chamber 24 where it is heated and thence passes to the main chamber of the brooder. The air from this chamber passes 50 through the openings 2| into the end chambers 25 and thence out through the openings 23.

The control unit 26 includes an electric switch and a thermostatic device for actuating it. The

switch has a stationary contact 21 and a mov- 55 able switch contact 28. The latter is carried by a spring arm 29 which is supported by the post 30. .A second spring arm 3| is supported by the same post and has its end spaced apart from one edge of the contact member 28.

A U-shaped spring 32 is interposed between 5 the end of the spring arm 3| and the contact 28 carried by the end of the arm 29 so as to pro vide a toggle action when the arm 3| is moved back and forth to open and close the circuit. The stationary and movable contacts of the l0 switch are supported by'an insulating bar 33 which also carries the circuit terminals 34 and 35 which are connected in the heater circuit.

The switch is supported by the frame having end pieces 36 connected by the bar 31 and pro- 15 vided with feet 38 adapted to be detachably secured to the inside of the outer plate I! by screws 39. The supporting bar 33 is hinged at one end 40 and guided by the slot 4| at the other end. The adjusting screw 42 has one end screwed 20 into the nut 43 which is carried by the bar 33 so that by rotating thescrew 42 the bar 33 may be moved back and forth to. adjust the position of the switch members.

Stops 44 and 45 are carried by the bar 33 to 25 limit the movement of the arms of the switch member. p

The thermostatic device in the form shown consists of expansible discs 46 containing gas or other fluid sensitive to changes in temperature. This expansible disc device is carried by a strap member or yoke 41 which is detachably secured to the ends of the cross bar 31 by screws 48.

The push rod 49 is guided in the support 50 and interposed between the expansible disc device 46 and the arm 3| so that as the disc device expands and contracts the rod 48 is moved back and forth to actuate the switch.

The inner plate l8. of the heater'housing is slotted at 5| to permit the insertion of the yoke 41, and the outer plate has an opening 52 for the thumb piece of the screw 42.

From the foregoingit will be seen that the control unit consisting of a switch and thermostatic devicecan be constructed and assembled as a unit to be installed in the heater casing and that it is also capable of being readily detached for the purpose of repair or replacement.

I claim:

1. In a brooder, a temperature control unit having a frame with a cross bar, two end bars and supporting feet for attachment to the outer wall of a heater housing, an auxiliary frame having its ends secured to the cross bar and having another cross bar, a heat sensitive element 55 supported by the latter bar in a position to be effected by the temperature in a brooder chamber and having a plunger extending through the first mentioned cross bar, a supporting arm hinged at one end to one of the end bars and guided by the other end bar, a snap switch carried by said arm and actuated in at least one direction by said plunger, said arm and switchbeing in a position to be housed between the walls 01 a heater chamber of the brooder and adjusting means carried by one 01' the supporting feet and connected to said arm to move the same and located in position to be accessible from the outside of the brooder.

2. A control unit of the character described, including a frame, a supporting bar pivoted thereto, a snap switch carried by said bar, a thermostatic device, a plunger associated with said thermostatic device adapted to actuate the switch, and means for actuating the position of the bar and switch relative to the plunger, said means including a threaded member in the bar, a screw extending to the exterior of said frame and cooperating with said member, a spiral spring surrounding said screw between the \Irame and. threaded member and a thumb piece on the exterior end of the screw for actuating the same.

' JOHN E. CARISON. 

